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Chapter 12 - Crew (TCOK)
Tubba had never been part of a crew quite like the SS Mahruav before. Every person who knew his birthright bowed to him, recognizing his elite right among the commoners, and not wishing to tread on his poor side. Every person who didn’t know his birthright despised him, deciding that Chubba was more worth their time, friendship and kindness. It was a narrative Chubba himself stoked, alongside Bubba and his cohorts, that Tubba did not have a valid reason to be privy to it. It was designed to drive him away. I guess it did. Tubba reflected wryly. There would be no doubt. Chubba would be coronated as the King of Gusty Gulch. But Bubba was dead, caused in essence by Tubba himself. Tubba knew he should have felt remorse, but for some reason, he didn’t. It was a tragedy, surely, but he wasn’t sure Bubba would’ve been able to deal with the realization that Tubba was the King’s son. The SS Mahruav crew were the first people in the world that weren’t in awe of his status - for they did not know it - nor did they know the reputation that preceded him. Tubba had never been given a proper chance in the Clubba School, as the false reputation Bubba had sown prevented anyone from wishing to get closer to him. At least I always had Gonzales. Gonzales, despite all the negativity associated with being friends with Tubba, stuck with Tubba through thick and thin. A brief jolt of guilt seized Tubba, unsure of how life would be for Gonzales. Tubba was gone, Bubba was dead, Snubba and Laff were scarred, and Chubba was King. It was a large change for his friend. Can’t change it now, Tubba reflected darkly. Replacing Gonzales was a rather disparate and ragged crew. Tubba learned that the SS Mahruav divided itself into age groups in the barracks below decks. Anyone twenty and younger were a specific age group - clearly intended to foster friendly relations within people of the same age - with Tubba being the youngest at thirteen. The next subdivision was twenty to thirty, and the third and final subdivision was thirty and over. The age group Tubba was with consisted of various quirky characters. The closest person to Tubba’s age was a thirteen year old Koopa named Belet, a shy girl who refused to mumble much else other than “hi,” when introduced by Gerald. Tubba had rolled his eyes when he realized Gerald expected him to be more comfortable around the young teens than the young adults. Did he not know that Clubbas matured much faster than Koopas, being a Spiked Clubba himself? Thankfully, Belet was far from the only person in Tubba’s age group. An oddly-named trio of Bandit siblings were also in Tubba’s age group. Belet’s best friend was the youngest of the three, a female known as Zual, a rather exotic name for a Bandit. From what Tubba knew of Bandits, the names were rather mundane and common. Zual had a similarly quiet and reclusive personality to Belet, Tubba guessed that was why they were friends. The middle child was a yellow-robed Bandit named Stual, who was often shooting furtive, angry looks at the eldest child, with the most intriguing name yet. The eldest child was named Mud, which was quite contrary to the way his blue robes were groomed, although in agreement to his dirtied, soiled mask. His unnaturally long eyes from underneath his mask shone with insight, and when Tubba was faced with those eyes, they echoed with what was almost a challenge. As if Mud was looking into soul, and could already see the rage and frustration that had boiled up from the inevitable realization that Chubba would be King - something Tubba had not admitted to himself until the moment he saw those eyes. Tubba didn’t bother to dwell on what he was feeling. He was introducing himself to the crew, his new family. The only real family he had left was Chubba, and now, Tubba decided that Chubba may as well be dead. They were never brothers, never were they friends, never would they be friends. Any feelings of kin between them were never there. They were strangers. As were the remaining members in his age group.